For more than 50 years, ADC has served as the national voice for the communities that support America’s military installations and missions. As the national security environment grows more complex—and as pressures on installations and surrounding communities intensify—it is increasingly clear that military readiness is shaped not only within the fence line, but by the strength and resilience of the communities beyond it.
ADC’s National Security Starts at Home™ framework reflects this reality, recognizing that infrastructure, workforce, quality of life, and local capacity are essential components of readiness, resilience, and long-term mission assurance. With insights gained through sustained engagement with communities, federal partners, and military stakeholders over the past year, ADC is proud to announce our 2026 policy agenda.
Protect & Enhance Key Department of War Program
Ensure sustained funding for legacy programs including the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, the Readiness & Environmental Protection Initiative, and others that support and sustain critical components of military-community collaboration.
Continue to Invest in Defense Community Infrastructure
Expand and adapt the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) to address evolving defense community needs, targeting $150 million annually to reduce the significant backlog of projects.
Advance New Defense Community Centric Quality-of-Life Efforts
Invest and incentivize community and state level programs that address key challenges for military families, including housing education, childcare, workforce development, and recruitment.
Enhance Partnerships
Build on ideas from ADC’s Partnership Roadmap to maximize the impact and savings of collaboration by investing in research, capacity building, and outreach.
Senate Caucus Co-Chairs
Sen. Jerry Moran (KS)
Sen. Gary Peters (MI)
House Caucus Co-Chairs
Rep. Joe Wilson (SC-2)
Rep. Jason Crow (CO-6)
Defined by a mission of force and family, readiness and resiliency, our installations and communities are the foundation of our military’s competitive edge. The strength of our bases and communities are forever linked through a dynamic and ever-evolving partnership. The Defense Communities Caucus is a bipartisan group of lawmakers that provides a unified voice to strengthen the readiness of our nation’s installations, missions and military families and to support the defense communities that they call home.
This Caucus works on key activities, such as:
- Promoting policies and programs that support strong collaborative partnerships between communities, states and the military that enhance readiness and mission success, as well as create the quality of life for our service members and their families deserve and our military readiness depends on.
- Identifying ways to enhance our defense infrastructure inside and outside the gate through investment and partnerships.
- Protecting long term readiness and sustainability of our military by combating encroachment that impacts military training, testing, and operations.
- Ensuring local communities can adapt to DOW program changes, expansions and cutbacks, and mitigate the incompatibilities between military operations and local development.
- Building sustained cooperation with communities around basing decisions to promote transparency, communication and joint planning.
The Defense Communities Caucus will give voice to these unique issues, while creating and strengthening partnerships between the communities and installations that will help ensure that our military has great and resilient places to call home. Our defense communities play a unique role supporting our military — and they deserve our steadfast commitment.
For more information about how to join or support the caucus, please contact ADC Executive Director Matt Borron at matt@defensecommunities.org
Federal Outreach and Advisory Council
Co-Chairs
Daniel Rhoades
21st Century Partnership for Warner Robins AFB (GA)
Jill M McClune
Aberdeen Army Alliance (MD)
ADC Board Liaison
Sal Nodjomian
City of Niceville (FL)
Councilmembers
Brittany Smart
University of Alaska Fairbanks (AK)
Mike Ward
Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce (AL)
Daniel Mann
Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority (AR)
Ryan Lee
City of Glendale (AZ)
Sandy Person
Solano EDC / Travis Community Consortium (CA)
Fred Meurer
Monterey Bay Defense Alliance (CA)
Misty Perez
Port of Heuneme (CA)
Keith C Klaehn
Colorado Springs Defense Mission Task Force (CO)
Debi Graham
Greater Pensacola Chamber (FL)
Joel Blockton
Cobb County Chamber of Commerce (GA)
Vera Topasna
Office of the Governor of Guam (GU)
Kimberly Huth
St. Clair County, Director of Military Affairs (IL)
Kelli Pendleton
Ft. Campbell Strong Defense Alliance (KY)
Randy Fuss
Sourcewell Minnesota (MN)
Jamie Miller
Mississippi Development Authority (MS)
Greg Doyon
City of Great Falls/Montana Defense Alliance (MT)
Patricia A Harris
North Carolina Military Affairs Commission (NC)
Tom Ford
Grand Forks County (ND)
Gracie Lynn
Grand Forks County (ND)
Brian Dicken
Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce (OH)
Michael Gessel
Dayton Development Coalition (OH)
Joseph Garrity
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (OH)
Josh Prest
Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission (OH)
Mike Cooper
State of Oklahoma (OK)
Mary Graham
South Carolina Military Base Taskforce (SC)
Robert Timm
City of Box Elder (SD)
Keith Sledd
Heart of Texas Defense Alliance (TX)
Glenn Barham
Sheppard Military Affairs Committee (TX)
William McKnight
Alamo Area Council of Governments (TX)
Brian Garrett
Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (UT)
Mark R Shepherd
Clearfield City (UT)
Stacie Henn
Prince William County, Dept of Economic Development (VA)
Rick Dwyer
Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance (VA)
Don Anderson
City of Lakewood (WA)
FOAC Advisor
Matthew Herrman
The Roosevelt Group (DC)
ADC General Counsel
George Schlossberg
Kutak Rock (DC)
Learn More About America’s Defense Communities
What Are Defense Communities?
Defense communities are the towns, cities, and regions that host military missions, installations, and defense industries—home to over 70% of service members and the workforce powering national security. With the fence line disappearing, bases and communities are more connected than ever, working together on critical issues like infrastructure and military family support. These efforts are driven by a network of organizations, often led by key partners that strengthen community-military collaboration.
Building One Community
Installations and their communities are essential to national security, working together to provide military families with critical services like housing, healthcare, and education. They build resilient infrastructure, tackle challenges, and support mission readiness—all while creating strong, welcoming homes. This vital work is powered by key programs and initiatives across DoD, states, and local communities, reinforcing a shared commitment to our nation’s defense.